The Bum's July's MLB POD'S-Stats-News

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Sunday, July 7

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Sunday's MLB betting notes and tips
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National

Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies (122, 8.5)

Hot pitcher: Phillies starter Jonathan Pettibone has allowed three or fewer runs in 11 of his 14 starts this season.

Cold pitcher: Braves starter Kris Medlen took the loss versus the Phillies in his first start of the year.

Weather: Temperatures in the high-90s and sunny skies. Winds will blow out to right field at 11 mph.

Key betting stat: The Braves are 10-2 in Medlen's last 12 starts as a road favorite.

San Diego Padres at Washington Nationals (-237, 7.5)

Hot pitcher: Nats starter Stephen Strasburg has surrendered two or fewer earned runs in each of his last nine starts and is coming off seven scoreless innings against Milwaukee in which he allowed three hits and struck out eight.

Cold pitcher: Pads starter Robbie Erlin is 0-1 with a 7.94 ERA in three road games (one start) in 2013.

Weather: Temperatures in the mid-90s and partly cloudy skies. Winds will blow out to center field at 12 mph.

Key betting stat: The Padres are 1-10 in their last 11 overall.

New York Mets at Milwaukee Brewers (-115, 8.5)

Hot pitcher: Mets starter Jeremy Hefner has surrendered three or fewer earned runs in each of his last eight starts and is coming off a win over Arizona in which he allowed one run on four hits in seven innings.

Cold pitcher: Brewers starter Tom Gorzelanny is 4-5 with a 4.53 ERA in 21 career games (eight starts) against New York.

Weather: Roof could be closed in Milwaukee due to a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Key betting stat: The over is 7-0 in Mets last 7 overall.

Miami Marlins at St. Louis Cardinals (-170, 7)

Hot pitcher: Marlins starter Jose Fernandez is coming off a superb effort against the San Diego Padres when he struck out 10 and allowed only two hits over eight scoreless innings.

Cold pitcher: Cards starter Lance Lynn has lost back-to-back starts against Houston and the Los Angeles Angels, giving up nine earned runs and 14 hits in 13 2/3 innings.

Weather: Temperatures in the low-90s and a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms. Winds will blow out to left field at 9 mph.

Key betting stat: The Marlins are 5-1 in Fernandez's last six starts.

Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs (138, OFF)

Hot pitcher: Pirates starter A.J. Burnett has dominated Chicago over his career with a 7-2 record and 3.08 ERA in 10 starts.

Cold pitcher: Brewers starter Carlos Villanueva will be making his first start in nearly two months, taking the place of Scott Feldman, who was traded to Baltimore last week. He was dropped from the starting rotation after getting battered for seven runs and 12 hits by Colorado on May 14.

Weather: Temperatures in the mid-80s and a 30 percent chance of rain. Winds will blow out to left field at 11 mph.

Key betting stat: The under is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings.

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants (160, 6.5)

Hot pitcher: Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw leads the majors in ERA (1.93) and opponents’ batting average (.189), and he’s thrown seven or more innings in 14 of his 18 starts.

Cold pitcher: Giants starter Chad Gaudin is 0-2 with a 5.66 ERA in nine career appearances (two starts) against the Dodgers.

Weather: Temperatures in the mid-60s and sunny skies. Winds will blow out to center field at 9 mph.

Key betting stat: The Giants are 4-for-50 with runners in scoring position over their last nine games.

Colorado Rockies at Arizona Diamondbacks (-194, 9)

Hot pitcher: The Diamondbacks are 15-2 in Patrick Corbin's starts this season.

Cold pitcher: Rockies starter Roy Oswalt allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings en route to an 8-0 loss versus the Dodgers in his last time on the mound.

Weather: Roof could be closed due to expected temperatures around 110 fahrenheit.

Key betting stat: The under is 7-1 in Diamondbacks last eight home games vs. a right-handed starter.


American

Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees (-131, 9)

Hot pitcher: Orioles reliever Troy Patton has not given up a run since June 5. His ERA has dropped from 5.00 to 3.79 in that stretch.

Cold pitcher: Yanks starter Hiroki Kuroda is 1-4 over his last eight starts - a slump that started when he was pounded by Baltimore for five runs in two-plus innings on May 22.

Weather: Temperatures in the mid-90s and partly cloudy skies. Winds will blow out to left field at 11 mph.

Key betting stat: The Orioles are 0-6 in Jason Hammel's last six starts.

Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Indians (130, 8.5)

Hot pitcher: Tigers starter Doug Fister is 5-3 with a 2.24 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in 12 career outings versus Cleveland.

Cold pitcher: Indians starter Corey Kluber is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA against the Tigers this season and 1-3 with a 7.88 ERA in five all-time appearances (four starts) against them.

Weather: Temperatures in the high-70s and a 40 percent chance of showers. Winds will blow out to right field at 10 mph.

Key betting stat: The Tigers are 7-0 in the last seven meetings.

Minnesota Twins at Toronto Blue Jays (-164, 9.5)

Hot pitcher: Jays closer Casey Janssen has converted all five save opportunities since blowing his first save of the season against the Texas Rangers on June 8.

Cold pitcher: Twins starter Scott Diamond has a 6.26 ERA in his last five starts.

Weather: Dome could be closed due to 50 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Key betting stat: The Twins are 7-20 in the last 27 meetings in Toronto.

Chicago White Sox at Tampa Bay Rays (-214, 7.5)

Hot pitcher: Rays starter David Price tossed just 70 pitches over seven shutout innings, allowing three hits, no walks and striking out 10 against Houston last Tuesday.

Cold pitcher: Sox reliever Matt Lindstrom, who leads the club in appearances with 40, has an ERA of 10.46 versus the Rays over the past two seasons.

Weather: Dome.

Key betting stat: The over is 6-1-1 in the last 8 meetings.

Oakland Athletics at Kansas City Royals (126, 9)

Hot pitcher: Royals closer Greg Holland struck out the side as he picked up his 20th save of the season versus Oakland Saturday. He has not blown a save since May 6.

Cold pitcher: A's starter A.J. Griffin was tagged for seven runs and a season-high 10 hits his last start.

Weather: Temperatures in the low-90s and partly cloudy skies. Winds will blow out to left field at 20 mph.

Key betting stat: The under is 9-1-1 in the last 11 meetings in Kansas City.

Houston Astros at Texas Rangers (-191, 9.5)

Hot pitcher: Astros starter Erik Bedard has a 2.16 ERA in two appearances against Texas this season, including a 3 1/3-inning relief appearance in which he recorded his first major-league save.

Cold pitcher: Rangers starter Justin Grimm has an unsightly 9.31 ERA over his last six starts and has pitched five or fewer innings in four of them.

Weather: Temperatures in the low-90s and sunny skies. Winds will blow in from left field at 8 mph.

Key betting stat: The Rangers are 19-7 in their last 26 games with umpire Jeff Nelson behind home plate.

Boston Red Sox at Los Angeles Angels (-131, 8)

See "Sunday Night Baseball"


INTERLEAGUE

Seattle Mariners at Cincinnati Reds (-185, 8.5)

Hot pitcher: Reds starter Bronson Arroyo owns a 6-1 mark and 2.42 ERA in 11 outings at home this season.

Cold pitcher: Mariners starter Joe Saunders has struggled on the road, going 2-5 with a 5.81 ERA in nine starts.

Weather: Temperatures in the high-70s and a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms. Winds will blow from right to left at 7 mph.

Key betting stat: The Reds are 6-0 in their last six home games vs. a left-handed starter.


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[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Sunday, July 7

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Yankees extend win streak to six; faves Sunday vs. O's
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The New York Yankees extended their winning streak to a season-high six games with a 5-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.

Any $100 bettor would be up $548.59 if they had wagered on each game of the streak.

The Bronx Bombers have a pair of shortstops on the mend. Eduardo Nunez returned to the lineup Saturday after missing two months of action with a strained left oblique and All-Star SS Derek Jeter (ankle) began a rehab assignment in the minors Saturday night.

The Yankees are -137 in the finale of a three-game set with the O’s on Sunday and will send Hiroki Kuroda (7-6, 2.95) to the hill. Baltimore will counter with Jason Hammel (7-5, 5.19).

The Orioles are 0-6 in Hammel’s last six starts and only 1-7 in their last eight road games.

[StarDust Bum]

What a 4th of July weekend its been......the last 3 days i've blown up like the fireworks....Worst three days in a row i can remember....
so thread lightly......hopefully today will turn around....


Good Luck........

sorry Kapt...and all who follow................


Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

07/06/13 10-*19-*1 34.48% -*4630 Detail
07/05/13 12-*18-*0 40.00% -*2965 Detail
07/04/13 10-*17-*0 37.04% -*3645 Detail
07/03/13 18-*12-*0 60.00% +*2750 Detail
07/02/13 12-*17-*1 41.38% -*2820 Detail
07/01/13 9-*4-*0 69.23% +*2425 Detail

Totals 71-*87-*2 44.94% -*8885


Sunday, July 7

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Baltimore - 1:05 PM ET NY Yankees -121 500
NY Yankees - Under 9 500

Detroit - 1:05 PM ET Detroit -130 500
Cleveland - Over 8.5 500

Minnesota - 1:07 PM ET Minnesota +151 500 POD # 7
Toronto - Under 9.5 500

Seattle - 1:10 PM ET Seattle +170 500 POD # 8
Cincinnati -

Atlanta - 1:35 PM ET Atlanta -132 500
Philadelphia - Over 8.5 500

San Diego - 1:35 PM ET San Diego +216 500 POD # 4
Washington - Under 7.5 500

Chi. White Sox - 1:40 PM ET Chi. White Sox +196 500 POD # 6
Tampa Bay - Over 7.5 500

Oakland - 2:10 PM ET Oakland -137 500
Kansas City - Under 9 500

NY Mets - 2:10 PM ET NY Mets +106 500 POD # 5
Milwaukee -

Miami - 2:15 PM ET Miami +156 500 POD # 3
St. Louis - Under 7 500

Pittsburgh - 2:20 PM ET Pittsburgh -150 500
Chi. Cubs -

Houston - 3:05 PM ET Houston +175 500 POD # 1
Texas - Over 9.5 500

LA Dodgers - 4:05 PM ET LA Dodgers -174 500
San Francisco - Over 6.5 500

Colorado - 4:10 PM ET Colorado +178 500 POD # 2
Arizona - Over 9 500

Boston - 8:05 PM ET LA Angels -131 500
LA Angels - Under 8 500

[StarDust Bum]

Lackey, Weaver take the hill Sunday in Anaheim

BOSTON RED SOX (54-35)

at LOS ANGELES ANGELS (42-45)

First pitch: Sunday, 8:00 p.m. ET
Line: Los Angeles -135, Boston +125, Total: 8

The Red Sox and Angels wrap up their three-game series Sunday night with a strong pitching matchup for this rubber match. Boston won Friday's game 6-2 and were rolling on Saturday with a 7-3 lead heading into the ninth, but the Angels came roaring back and won 9-7 in 11 innings.

Although L.A.'s Jered Weaver is much more accomplished than Boston's John Lackey in their careers, Lackey (6-5, 2.81 ERA) is in the midst of a career year, while Weaver (2-4, 3.79 ERA) is having a subpar season for his standards. Both teams are red-hot, as both the Red Sox and Angels are 9-2 in their past 11 games. While Boston has scored 5.8 runs per game during this nine-game stretch, L.A. has been doing it with pitching, allowing two runs or less in five of these 11 contests. Both offenses have been strong all season. The Red Sox lead the majors in runs (458), on-base percentage (.351) and slugging (.449), while the Angels place among the top-six teams in the majors in getting on base (.331 OBP, 5th), hitting (.268 BA, 6th) and slugging (.421 SLG, 6th). The Red Sox have won three of the five meetings this season, but the Angels have a slight 10-9 advantage in this series over the past three years. Boston has been a great road team at 23-19 (.548, 4th in MLB), but Los Angeles has struggled to win at home, going 23-25 (.479, 24th in MLB) at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

Lackey (1.17 WHIP) not only has the best ERA of his 11-year career, but his 8.2 K/9 rate is the highest it has been since 2005, and his .246 opponents' BA matches his career-best mark set in 2006. Lackey has thrown eight quality starts in his past nine outings, going 5-1 with a 2.26 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 52 K's in 59.2 innings. This includes four straight quality outings where he's lasted at least seven frames in all four starts, tallying a 3-0 record with a 2.17 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 27 K's and just three walks in 29 innings. Despite all these great numbers, Boston is just 7-7 when Lackey starts this season, including a 3-5 mark on the road where the right-hander sports a so-so 4.17 ERA and 1.37 WHIP. Considering Lackey pitched for eight seasons with Los Angeles, he's very familiar with the Angel Stadium mound. In 114 starts at this venue, he is 51-32 (.614) with a 3.66 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 7.2 K/9. However, in two starts as a visiting player in a Red Sox uniform, he's 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA and 0.98 WHIP. He hasn't faced his former team since 2011, but is 4-1 with a 4.32 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in five career starts against them. However, current players on the Angels roster have had great collective success versus Lackey in their careers, batting .356 with a .400 OBP and .586 SLG. OF Josh Hamilton has destroyed him the most (12-for-27, 4 HR, 9 RBI) while 3B Alberto Callaspo has also thrived (5-for-14, 1 HR, 5 RBI). Lackey knows he'll have to go deep into the game to earn the victory, as his injury-laden bullpen has been shaky all season with a 4.12 ERA (22nd in MLB) and 1.38 WHIP (25th in majors).

Weaver (1.21 WHIP) allowed 13 runs in 17.2 innings in his first three starts back from injury, but he seems to be finally hitting his stride. In the past two starts against excellent hitting teams, the Tigers (5.0 runs per game, 2nd in MLB) and Cardinals (5.0 runs per game, 3rd in majors), Weaver has allowed one run in seven innings for each outing, combining for 11 K's and two walks. The right-hander has usually been amazing in his own ballpark, going 34-11 (.756) with a 2.26 ERA at home from 2009 to 2012, but this season, he's a pedestrian 2-2 with a 3.48 ERA in five starts at Angel Stadium despite impeccable control (26 K's, 5 BB's). He's also been mediocre against the Red Sox in his career, going 3-5 with a 4.31 ERA and 1.26 WHIP over 13 starts. The last time he faced them -- last August at home -- he allowed five runs (four earned) and seven hits in seven innings of a no-decision. Although he's done a nice job of battling pesky 2B Dustin Pedroia (5-for-25, 7 K's), Weaver has struggled versus sluggers DH David Ortiz (10-for-29, 2 HR, 9 RBI) and 1B Mike Napoli (8-for-25, 2 HR). Weaver doesn't have a great relief corps to pick him up, as the L.A. bullpen carries a 3.90 ERA (20th in majors) and a 1.31 WHIP (18th in MLB).

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rangers (51-37) at Orioles (49-40)
Game: 1
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: July 08, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


It's hard to imagine where the Baltimore Orioles would be without Chris Davis.

Manager Buck Showalter's team will be counting on another former Texas Ranger the rest of the way, too.

Scott Feldman gets the ball as the Orioles open a four-game set Monday night against the visiting Rangers, who try to avenge a loss in last year's wild-card game.

Acquired from Texas (51-37) in July 2011, Davis leads the majors with 33 homers and ranks second with 85 RBIs - matching his totals from all of last season. The Orioles (49-40) are also expecting to get a boost from Feldman (0-0, 3.00 ERA), who was acquired from the Chicago Cubs in a four-player deal last week.

In his first start since the trade, Feldman allowed two runs in six innings but didn't receive a decision in Wednesday's 4-2 road win over the White Sox.

"That's Scott," Showalter told MLB's official website. "You could see in his eyes that he got a little confident as the game went on. He's got a lot of things - catcher catching a guy for the first time, he's got a pair of pants he's never had on. It didn't look like they fit too well. Had a brand new pair of shoes that probably hurt his feet a little bit. I thought he handled all the adjustments in his life well, but Scotty's been down this road before."

After spending the first eight years of his career with the Rangers, Feldman became a free agent in October after his team option was declined. He threw seven scoreless innings against his former team May 6, leading the Cubs to a 9-2 win.

"I tried to just relax out there and everything, but obviously I know a lot of those guys and I've got a lot of respect for them," he said afterward. "I had a great seven or eight years over there and made some good friends."

The Rangers have taken 10 of 12 regular season matchups from Baltimore. Texas, though, couldn't keep up when it mattered most, falling 5-1 in last year's wild-card game.

The Orioles had dropped three in a row before pulling out a thrilling 2-1 win at Yankee Stadium on Sunday. Adam Jones provided all the offense with a two-run homer off Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning.

"It's off the greatest closer in the history of the game. I'll always remember it," said Jones, one of four Orioles named to next week's All-Star game. "You've got to win, and we haven't been playing that well. We need to tighten up. We need to clean it up around here."

Winners in 12 of 17, the Rangers beat Houston 5-4 on Sunday. A.J. Pierzynski hit a three-run homer and Adrian Beltre, batting .417 during a nine-game hitting streak, went deep for the fourth time in as many days.

Having made his way back from elbow reconstruction surgery, Joakim Soria threw a perfect inning of relief in his first big league appearance in nearly two years.

The Rangers now turn to Derek Holland (6-4, 3.13), who struck out a season high-tying 10 over six innings of two-run ball Wednesday in a 4-2, 10-inning loss to Seattle.

The left-hander has won each of his last three outings versus Baltimore while compiling a 1.42 ERA. Jones is 1 for 10 with six strikeouts in their matchups while Matt Wieters and J.J. Hardy are a combined 0 for 15.

Holland is 3-0 with a 2.40 ERA over a six-start stretch on the road.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rangers at Orioles
Mon, Jul 8 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Rangers at Orioles
Tue, Jul 9 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Rangers at Orioles
Wed, Jul 10 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Rangers at Orioles
Thu, Jul 11 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Royals (41-44) at Yankees (48-40)
Game: 4
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: July 08, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


Following a rough end to their longest winning streak of the season, the New York Yankees are hoping Phil Hughes can continue his recent success and get them back on track.

The Yankees will try for their seventh win in eight games overall and sixth in a row against the Kansas City Royals on Monday night in the Bronx.

New York (48-40) had its six-game run snapped in stunning fashion Sunday, as Adam Jones hit a two-run homer off Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning of Baltimore's 2-1 victory. It was Rivera's second blown save in 31 opportunities.

"Whenever it happens you're kind of shocked, that's how good (Rivera) is,' manager Joe Girardi said.

Rivera is looking to reach 30 saves for the 15th time, which would break a tie with Trevor Hoffman for the major league record.

Hughes (4-7, 4.55 ERA) could give him the opportunity to achieve the milestone in this game, given how he's pitched in his last two starts. The right-hander has yielded three runs in 15 innings while going 1-1 in those games.

He allowed one run over seven innings to snap a three-start losing streak with a 7-3 victory at Minnesota on Tuesday.

"You want to keep that ball rolling,' Hughes said. "Hopefully it's the start of a good stretch I can roll off here.'

He'll have to pitch better at Yankee Stadium, where he's lost four straight starts with 9.00 ERA.

Despite a 6.10 ERA in seven career starts versus the Royals, Hughes has gone 5-1 in those games and has won his last five matchups. He gave up six runs and two homers over 5 2-3 innings of an 11-6 victory at Kansas City on May 10 in the latest one.

The Yankees have given Hughes 31 runs of support in those five consecutive victories.

Mike Moustakas and Jarrod Dyson delivered the home runs off Hughes on May 10, though they're a combined 3 for 16 with seven strikeouts against him lifetime.

Teammate Eric Hosmer is hitless in seven career at_bats against Hughes, but comes in having gone 15 for 37 with five homers and nine RBIs in his last nine games.

The Royals (41-44), who haven't lost consecutive contests since a four-game skid June 18-22, begin a seven-game trip after finishing a 3-3 homestand with a 10-4 defeat to Oakland on Sunday.

"We've just got to be more consistent,' Hosmer said.

After a solid start to the season, Kansas City's Jeremy Guthrie (7-6, 4.29) hasn't been able to find his form in the past four starts, going 0-3 with a 6.95 ERA.

The right-hander allowed five runs over 6 1-3 innings and left without a decision in a 6-5 win over Cleveland on Wednesday.

Guthrie had dropped seven straight decisions against New York before giving up one run over seven innings of a 4-2 victory at Yankee Stadium on July 29, 2011. He's 4-9 with a 5.32 ERA in 15 career starts versus the Yankees.

Vernon Wells hit a pair of home runs to help New York sweep the three-game series in Kansas City from May 10-12. He's gone 8 for 21 (.381) in his last five games against the Royals.

Billy Butler went 1 for 12 in that series, leaving him at 2 for 20 in his last five games against the Yankees.


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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Orioles at Yankees
Fri, Jul 5 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Orioles at Yankees
Sat, Jul 6 Final 4 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Orioles at Yankees
Sun, Jul 7 Final 2 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Royals at Yankees
Mon, Jul 8 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Tigers (48-39) at Indians (46-42)
Game: 4
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: July 08, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


By the time he gets to Citi Field for the All-Star game next Tuesday, Max Scherzer could own a share of the AL record for consecutive winning decisions to open a season.

The Detroit Tigers' right-hander, though, has a couple of starts before then.

Scherzer will try to become the second pitcher to open 14-0 in the last 27 years Monday night when the AL Central-leading Tigers conclude their four-game series visiting the second-place Cleveland Indians.

There was no surprise Scherzer (13-0, 3.09 ERA) was one of six Tigers named to the All-Star team Saturday, as he's off to a start manager Jim Leyland told the team's official website is "hard to believe." With a career-best sixth consecutive winning start on Wednesday - he allowed two runs in 6 1-3 innings in a 6-2 victory at Toronto - Scherzer became the first pitcher to begin 13-0 since Boston's Roger Clemens opened 14-0 in 1986.

The AL record is 15-0, set by Cleveland's Johnny Allen in 1937 and equaled by Baltimore's Dave McNally in 1969.

"(My) record's kind of overblown," Scherzer told the Tigers' official website. "I'm playing a part on a great team here. Every time I start, they're always picking me up, they're always making plays. That's the reason why I'm 13-0."

A major league-best 7.87 run-support average has surely helped Scherzer, who's 5-0 with a 2.16 ERA in eight road starts. He improved to 2-0 against the Indians (46-42) this season by giving up one run in eight innings of a 5-1 victory at Cleveland on May 21.

Scherzer has won his last two starts at Cleveland after going 0-3 with a 7.48 ERA in his first four.

He'll face an Indians team that snapped a four-game losing streak - and a seven-game skid in this series - with Sunday's 9-6 victory. Michael Brantley went 3 for 4 with two homers, a double and a career-best five RBIs to help Cleveland climb within 2 1/2 games of the division lead.

"Michael Brantley looked like Barry Bonds,' Tigers All-Star right fielder Torii Hunter said after his team's five-game win streak was snapped.

The Indians will go for the series split with Scott Kazmir (4-4, 4.86) getting his first look at the Tigers since 2010 while with the Los Angeles Angels. The veteran left-hander was 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in his previous two starts before not earning a decision in a 6-5 loss to Kansas City on Wednesday when he surrendered three runs in five innings.

Kazmir has a 8.53 run-support average while going 4-0 with a 4.26 ERA in six outings at Progressive Field.

He could use all the support he can get the way All-Star third baseman Miguel Cabrera and Hunter have been hitting. Cabrera, the major league leader with a .368 batting average and 90 RBIs, belted his 28th homer Sunday among his four hits. That tied the reigning AL MVP and Triple Crown winner with Cecil Fielder for the most home runs by a Tiger before the All-Star break.

Hunter is 12 for 23 with two homers and 11 RBIs in the last five contests after hitting a game-tying three-run shot and finishing with a season-best four RBIs on Sunday.

Indians All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis, 2 for 11 with five strikeouts this series, is 1 for 7 with a double off Scherzer this season, but Nick Swisher is 3 for 3 with a triple and a double.

Only one other player - Houston's Carlos Corporan (two homers) - has more than one extra-base hit against Scherzer in 2013.


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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Tigers at Indians
Fri, Jul 5 Final 7 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Tigers at Indians
Sat, Jul 6 Final 9 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Tigers at Indians
Sun, Jul 7 Final 6 to 9
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Tigers at Indians
Mon, Jul 8 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Nationals (46-42) at Phillies (43-46)
Game: 1
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: July 08, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


Since manager Davey Johnson decided to flip-flop his batting order, the surging Washington Nationals appear to have found their groove at the plate.

Seeking a fifth straight win, the Nationals may need another big offensive showing in Monday night's opener against the Philadelphia Phillies given the way scheduled starter Dan Haren has struggled.

After his team was limited to a total of one run and 13 hits in consecutive losses July 2 and 3, Johnson moved shortstop Ian Desmond up to second in the batting order and dropped outfielder Jayson Werth down to sixth.

Since then, Washington (46-42) is averaging 8.0 runs with a .341 batting average while winning four straight games. Werth has gone 8 for 13 with five runs and Desmond has also scored five times while going 6 for 15.

Ryan Zimmerman provided the big blow with a grand slam and Bryce Harper added three hits in Sunday's 11-7 win over San Diego to cap a 5-2 homestand.

"We've played below our potential and now we're coming around,' Johnson said. "That's a good feeling.'

The Nationals, four games behind NL East-leading Atlanta, will try to extend their longest win streak since a five-game run from May 4-10 in the opener of a seven-game road trip.

Haren (4-9, 6.15 ERA) is scheduled to come off the disabled list to start in place of Ross Detwiler, who was placed on the DL on Sunday with lower back trouble.

Haren, who was sidelined with a shoulder injury, is 0-6 with a 7.01 ERA while giving up 11 home runs in eight starts since beating Detroit on May 9.

The right-hander hasn't fared well against the Phillies (43-46) in two matchups this season, yielding seven runs and 11 hits - three homers - over 12 innings. Haren did not get a decision either time, but the Nationals lost both contests.

Ryan Howard, Domonic Brown and Erik Kratz have homered off Haren in 2013, though he won't have to face Howard after the slugger was placed on the DL on Saturday because of inflammation in his left knee.

Brown helped the Phillies fill the void with his 23rd homer and a triple in Sunday's 5-1 win over Atlanta. The outfielder is 8 for 21 with two homers and four RBIs in his last five games.

"We have to go right now,' said Brown, who is 4 for 31 with one homer in 12 career home games against the Nationals. "We're definitely fighting and battling.

"Hopefully we can win the series against the Nats."

The Phillies give the ball to left-hander John Lannan (1-3, 5.15) as they return home looking for their fifth win in seven games.

Lannan has been inconsistent, going 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in four starts since missing two months with a strained quad. He allowed four runs, a season-worst 11 hits and three walks over five innings in a 6-5 loss at Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

The former National pitched much better in his only career start against Washington on June 17, giving up two runs and six hits over five innings before leaving without a decision in a 5-4 win.

Werth appears to have a good chance to continue his surge since he's 9 for 27 with four homers all-time in this matchup.

Desmond, though, is 3 for 28 with 11 strikeouts in his last eight games in Philadelphia.

The teams have split the six meetings this season, with the Phillies taking two of three at home last month.


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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Nationals at Phillies
Mon, Jul 8 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Nationals at Phillies
Tue, Jul 9 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Nationals at Phillies
Wed, Jul 10 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Nationals at Phillies
Thu, Jul 11 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Athletics (52-37) at Pirates (53-34)
Game: 1
Venue: PNC Park
Date: July 08, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


Though Jeff Locke hasn't received much attention from the national media, he figures to receive a bit more acclaim after making the NL All-Star team.

The 40-year-old Bartolo Colon will also be a part of next week's festivities.

These unlikely All-Stars are set to square off on the mound Monday night as the Pittsburgh Pirates open a three-game set against an Oakland Athletics team hoping to stay unbeaten in the series.

After going 1-6 with a 6.36 ERA in his first two major league seasons, Locke (8-1, 2.12 ERA) has come out of nowhere to post baseball's second-lowest ERA. The 25-year-old left-hander, whose only loss came at Dodger Stadium in his season debut April 7, will join teammates Andrew McCutchen, Pedro Alvarez and Jason Grilli at the Midsummer Classic.

"I was totally surprised. And felt honored. It's something they can't take away from you," Locke, who yielded three runs in 5 2-3 innings Wednesday in a 6-5 win over Philadelphia, told MLB's official website.

"It goes beyond the numbers; the confidence level is something I did not have before. I got a little edge on the mound."

Colon (11-3, 2.78), meanwhile, was the only Athletics player to make the AL squad. The 16-year veteran has two prior All-Star appearances, coming in 1998 and 2005.

"I feel extremely happy about it," he said through coach and interpreter Ariel Prieto. "I believe it's all about the work that I've been doing, since even before the season started. I thank the Oakland A's for giving me the opportunity to be part of them."

Colon had posted a 1.37 ERA in winning a career-high eight consecutive starts before allowing two runs in seven innings Wednesday in a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs. He is 2-1 with a 1.50 ERA in four starts against the Pirates (53-34), but hasn't faced them since 2007.

The Athletics (52-37) have had their way with Pittsburgh, taking all nine matchups in the series by a 65-28 margin. Oakland's only previous visit to PNC Park came in 2002.

Sitting one-half game ahead of Texas in the AL West, the A's are coming off their eighth win in 11 games, 10-4 at Kansas City on Sunday. Josh Reddick, Jed Lowrie and Eric Sogard all homered, going a combined 7 for 14 with nine RBIs.

"It's nice to make the All-Star team and everything, but at the same time we're a big family here and we have our eyes set on the goal of the Fall Classic rather than the Midsummer Classic," winning pitcher A.J. Griffin said. "We're just trying to continue to play good baseball as a team and not worry about stuff like that."

The Pirates are tied with St. Louis for the NL's best record, but they are looking to avoid a fifth loss in seven games after falling 4-3 in 11 innings at Wrigley Field on Sunday. Starling Marte hit a game-tying homer in the ninth before Pittsburgh came undone in the 11th following Russell Martin's first error of the season.

"We're playing to win," manager Clint Hurdle said, "and if you've watched that guy play all year … You just move on."

While Pittsburgh has outscored opponents 41-21 during an eight-game winning streak in interleague play, the A's are 20-7 versus NL foes dating to last June.

Oakland will need to be wary of Alvarez, who is hitting .333 with eight homers and 19 RBIs in his last 19 games. He is also batting .389 with five homers and eight RBIs in his last 10 interleague contests.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Athletics at Pirates
Mon, Jul 8 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Athletics at Pirates
Tue, Jul 9 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Athletics at Pirates
Wed, Jul 10 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Braves (50-38) at Marlins (32-55)
Game: 1
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: July 08, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


The Miami Marlins didn't hit many home runs during their dismal hitting-challenged start to the season, but a recent power surge has them playing better.

That could spell trouble for the Atlanta Braves' Mike Minor, who has been susceptible to giving up homers in his recent starts.

After being cooled off with their first three-game losing streak in a month, the Marlins try for their seventh win in eight home games Monday night against the Braves.

Although Miami (32-55) ranks near the bottom of the major leagues with 53 homers, the team has had a much different look offensively since getting Giancarlo Stanton and Logan Morrison back in the lineup.

Stanton and Morrison, who missed a combined 97 games due to injuries, have totaled nine homers and 23 RBIs since returning to action one day apart June 9 and 10.

The Marlins have hit 24 home runs in their last 27 games after totaling 29 during a 16-44 start. They had won 16 of 24 before getting swept in St. Louis, falling 3-2 on Sunday as they failed to homer for the first time in six games.

"We're young, we're learning, we'll get there," Morrison said.

Miami, last in the NL East, hopes to bounce back with a season-best fourth straight home win. The Marlins hadn't lost three in a row since June 3-5.

Minor (8-4, 3.15 ERA) will try to hold the Marlins without a home run in back-to-back games for the first time since June 12 and 14, but he's had trouble keeping the ball in the park lately. The left-hander, who will face Miami for the second straight time, has allowed five homers in his last three outings after giving up nine in his first 14.

Minor has gone 0-2 with a 5.63 ERA in his last four starts, yielding four runs over six innings of a 6-3 home loss to the Marlins on Wednesday.

Stanton has two home runs off Minor, his only two hits in 11 career at_bats against him. Stanton is 2 for 20 with eight strikeouts versus Atlanta this season.

The division-leading Braves (50-38) dropped the final two games of the recent three-game series with the Marlins. They lost for the eighth time in 11 road contests Sunday, 7-3 to Philadelphia.

"I really can't tell you why. It's one of those things,' manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "To be a championship team, you have to win at home and on the road.'

Following Saturday's trade of Ricky Nolasco to the Dodgers, Kevin Slowey (3-6, 4.24) looks to take advantage of another opportunity in the Miami rotation. The right-hander was 1-6 with a 4.50 ERA in 13 starts before being demoted to the bullpen in June.

He's 1-2 with a 4.58 ERA in three career starts against the Braves, though he pitched well against them April 8, giving up two runs in seven innings of a 2-0 loss.

Slowey, however, gave up four runs in two innings of relief in an 11-3 loss to Atlanta on Tuesday. Justin Upton should be happy to see him again, as he's 4 for 4 with a homer and double against Slowey.

Brian McCann had three more hits Sunday and has gone 19 for 32 (.594) with two homers and seven RBIs in his last eight games.

Chris Johnson and Andrelton Simmons have pounded Miami pitching, going 21 for 49 in the season series.


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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Braves at Marlins
Mon, Jul 8 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Braves at Marlins
Tue, Jul 9 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Braves at Marlins
Wed, Jul 10 - 12:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Twins (37-48) at Rays (49-40)
Game: 1
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: July 08, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


Some outstanding starting pitching has sparked the surging Tampa Bay Rays.

Scheduled starter Roberto Hernandez has been far from dominant, but his teammates haven't helped his cause, either.

Hernandez will try to lead the Rays to a fifth straight victory Monday night with the Minnesota Twins in town for the first of four matchups.

With David Price delivering a complete-game in Sunday's 3-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox, Rays starters have a 1.67 ERA during an 8-1 run that's lifted Tampa Bay (49-40) a season-best nine games over .500.

"It's really been dictated by a very strong starting pitching," manager Joe Maddon said. "Yesterday Matt (Moore), then of course today David and we turn it over tomorrow."

The only Tampa Bay defeat during its last nine games came with Hernandez (4-10, 4.95 ERA) on the mound. The right-hander threw six-plus innings of three-run ball in Wednesday's 4-1 loss at Houston. Hernandez has a 5.06 ERA in his last four starts - but he has a 1.69 run-support average in those contests, all losses.

"He has been good,' Maddon said. "Velocity is good, slider is good, changeup is good. Everything is good - we just haven't scored any runs for the guy.'

Hernandez has faced the Twins 21 times (17 starts) in his career - tied for the most against any team - but none since 2011 while with Cleveland. He is 5-9 with a 5.05 ERA.

The Twins (37-48), a season-worst 11 games under .500, have dropped seven of eight following Sunday's 11-5 loss at Toronto.

Minnesota, losers of 10 of 11 against AL East opponents, continues its 10-game trip with Samuel Deduno (4-3, 3.47) on the hill. The right-hander has been a bright spot on a staff with one of the majors' worst ERAs at 4.50, recording five quality starts in eight outings since being called up from Triple-A Rochester. Deduno allowed three runs in six innings of Tuesday's 7-3 loss to the New York Yankees.

"Deduno gave us an opportunity and I like what he did,' manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Deduno has never pitched against the Rays.

He'll face a Tampa Bay team that's batting .290 with 5.4 runs per game in its last nine. Leadoff hitter Desmond Jennings has been a big part over that stretch, leading the Rays with 14 hits and 10 runs.

"He's been drawing some walks, he's been working deep counts, he's getting on base again more often, which means more stolen bases, more havoc," Maddon said. "It's all about him."

Desmond did his part against Minnesota last season, hitting .375 (9 for 24) with two homers and five RBIs as Tampa Bay won five of six meetings, including two of three at Tropicana Field.

First baseman James Loney, whose career-best 16-game hitting streak ended Sunday, is the only active Ray with an at-bat against Deduno. He's 0 for 1 with a walk in that matchup.

Twins All-Star catcher Joe Mauer is 12 for 28 off Hernandez, while Justin Morneau and Trevor Plouffe both have two home runs against Tampa Bay's starter.

The Rays are trying to match a season-best six-game home winning streak, while the Twins have dropped 10 of 13 on the road.


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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Twins at Rays
Mon, Jul 8 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Twins at Rays
Tue, Jul 9 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Twins at Rays
Wed, Jul 10 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Twins at Rays
Thu, Jul 11 - 12:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cubs (38-48) at White Sox (34-51)
Game: 1
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: July 08, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


While he's attracting attention from other teams, Matt Garza claims to be focused on the next start for his current club.

The right-hander will seek to lead the Chicago Cubs to their first season sweep of the White Sox in 15 years in Monday night's makeup game at U.S. Cellular Field.

Garza's name has continued to swirl in trade rumors, but it's hardly hindered his pitching. He's gone 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA in his last four starts.

"For the past six or seven years my name always comes up (as a potential trade target). Until my phone rings, I'm going to be a Cub. I'm just worried about the next five days," Garza said after allowing one run over eight innings of a 3-1 win over Oakland on Wednesday.

Garza (4-1, 3.45 ERA) will try to keep rolling by leading the Cubs (38-48) to a 4-0 finish against their crosstown rivals after their May 28 game was rained out. They didn't take as much time to record their only other season sweep of the White Sox, winning three games June 5-7, 1998.

"If we win (Monday), it'd be nice to sweep any series," manager Dale Sveum told the team's official website. "But it's a little anticlimactic to how it could've been if we had played the games when they were supposed to be played."

The Cubs have won seven of 11 after taking two of three from NL Central co-leader Pittsburgh this weekend. They recovered from their 18th blown save of the season for a 4-3 win in 11 innings Sunday.

The Cubs have a team-record 11 wins in interleague play this season, posting a 2.99 ERA while hitting 23 homers in 17 games against the AL in 2013.

The White Sox (34-51) have been heading in a different direction, losing nine of 11 after a three-game sweep by Tampa Bay over the weekend. The club lost 3-1 on Sunday and has scored nine runs in its last five contests.

Alex Rios has struggled badly of late, batting .190 with no homers and five RBIs in his last 21 games. He's hitting .114 (4 for 35) in his last 11 matchups with the Cubs and is 5 for 28 (.179) all-time against Garza.

"It's the same thing day in and day out. It just gets old. You have to grind it out. That's it," Rios told the team's official website.

In his first start against the Cubs, Hector Santiago (3-5, 3.50) will try to build on a solid effort his last time out. The left-hander gave up two runs over seven innings of a 4-2 defeat to Baltimore on Wednesday.

Santiago, who matched a career high with nine strikeouts, has attempted to help himself by moving his bullpen sessions back one day.

"You get that one day instead of having two days off, of getting that feel off the mound," he told the team's website.

Santiago will likely have to face a rejuvenated Alfonso Soriano, who is expected to serve as the designated hitter for this game. Soriano, batting .342 with five homers and 14 RBIs in his last nine contests, has gone 8 for 17 with two home runs and six RBIs in four games as the DH this season.

Soriano has a .384 average in 29 lifetime games at that spot, 112 points higher than his career average. He's 10 for 29 with two homers in his last eight games against the White Sox.


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[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Reds (50-38) at Brewers (35-52)
Game: 1
Venue: Miller Park
Date: July 08, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


Homer Bailey was unhittable his last time out.

That hasn't been the case when the Cincinnati Reds right-hander has faced the Milwaukee Brewers.

Six days after tossing baseball's first no-hitter of the year, Bailey gets the ball Monday night when these NL Central foes play at Miller Park for the first time this season.

After going 0-2 with a 5.68 ERA in his previous three outings, Bailey (5-6, 3.57 ERA) struck out nine and walked just one in Tuesday's 3-0 victory over San Francisco. It was the first no-hitter since he threw one Sept. 28, at Pittsburgh.

"To do it once is extra special," said Bailey, who joined Jim Maloney and Johnny Vander Meer as the only Reds with multiple no-hitters. "To do it twice - I don't really have the words for it right now.'

Bailey, who will be pitching on an extra days' rest with Thursday's game against the Giants postponed, isn't even entertaining the thought of joining Vander Meer as the only major leaguer to throw back-to-back no-hitters. Vander Meer pulled that off in 1938.

"You can't go into the game thinking about it," Bailey said. "The first guy will probably get a hit, and that will be the end of it."

That's a possibility the way Brewers leadoff man Norichika Aoki is swinging the bat. He's 14 for 33 (.424) while hitting safely in seven straight.

Aoki went 1 for 4 with a double off Bailey in Milwaukee's 6-0 victory June 15. Bailey was tagged for six runs and eight hits in seven innings in that contest, dropping his career record against the Brewers to 1-6 with a 6.00 ERA in 12 starts. It's his worst ERA against any team he's faced more than seven times.

Milwaukee (35-52), though, has dropped nine of 12 following Sunday's 2-1 loss to the New York Mets.

The Brewers could get a better result with Kyle Lohse (4-6, 3.43) on the mound. The right-hander is 3-0 with a 1.72 ERA in last six starts after striking out a season-high seven in Wednesday's 4-1 road win over Washington. Pitching on two days' rest after his previous outing at Pittsburgh was cut short due to a lengthy rain delay, Lohse fell short in his bid for a ninth complete game.

"I want to finish it, (but) it's tough to do," he told the Brewers' official website after yielding one run in eight innings. "You just want to go out and have a quality start."

Lohse is 2-1 with a 1.76 ERA in his last seven starts against the Reds. Facing them for the first time in a Brewers uniform, Lohse permitted three runs - one earned - in six innings of a 4-3, 10-inning loss June 14.

The Reds (50-38), losers of seven of nine outside Cincinnati, open their seven-game trip after dropping two of three to Seattle.

"We hit the ball a lot harder than the scorebook showed,' manager Dusty Baker said after his team had six hits in Sunday's 3-1 loss. "We didn't have a lot to show for it. I tell the guys to just keep swinging the bats.'

All-Star starters Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips hit a combined .244 (11 for 45) with 10 strikeouts on the just-completed 4-2 homestand. Votto is 5 for 19 and Phillips is 4 for 26 with a homer as the Reds have a 5-1 record against Milwaukee this season.

Jay Bruce, who is mired in a 2-for-20 slump, leads Cincinnati with three homers and six RBIs in those contests.

The Reds lost four of six at Milwaukee last season.


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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Reds at Brewers
Mon, Jul 8 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Reds at Brewers
Tue, Jul 9 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Reds at Brewers
Wed, Jul 10 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Dodgers (42-45) at Diamondbacks (47-41)
Game: 1
Venue: Chase Field
Date: July 08, 2013 9:40 PM EDT


PHOENIX (AP) - The Los Angeles Dodgers are headed to the desert, a trip that inevitably recalls the big brawl that erupted with the Arizona Diamondbacks in the last series between the two NL West rivals.

Players from both sides say that the blowup, while not forgotten, has been pushed aside in favor of the more pressing matter of competing for the West title.

"We've got more important things to worry about than buzzing somebody or fighting,' Arizona outfielder Cody Ross said.

Some of the Dodgers vowed after the June 11 incident that it wasn't over. Maybe some sort of revenge will be extracted far down the road, but probably not in the three-game series that begins Monday night.

Of course, that can change in a heartbeat.

"Right now I'm not sitting here thinking about Arizona. It's not one of those cases,' Dodgers reliever J.P. Howell said. "It's been like that for me before. In the past, you've had teams on your mind for weeks and months until you face them again. In this case, we got our tussling in and our fighting, so clean slate in my book. But if something pops off, it's just the way it goes.'

Zach Greinke (6-2, 4.30 ERA), the Dodgers pitcher on that fateful evening, starts Monday's opener. Ian Kennedy, who drew a 10-game suspension after he hit Yasiel Puig and Greinke with high inside pitches, triggering the melee, goes for Arizona on Tuesday.

Kennedy didn't want to talk about the significance of the matchup, calling it just another series.

It's a necessary attitude, Arizona catcher Miguel Montero said.

"It's not like this is our last series against them,' he said. "We're playing them a lot so you've got to really move on. You can't even think about it ... just play them like you play everybody else.'

The bench-clearing fracas drew eight suspensions from Major League Baseball.

Howell and Los Angeles infielder Skip Schumaker were suspended for two games and Dodgers reliever Ronald Belisario, who proclaimed at the time "it's not over yet, not at all,' drew a one-game ban. Arizona's Eric Hinske got a five-game suspension, later reduced to one game after MLB officials said he hadn't thrown a punch after all. Hinske is no longer with the team.

Kennedy eventually dropped his appeal and served the 10 games.

Gibson and Dodgers manager Don Mattingly both were suspended for a game.

Before Sunday's game against Colorado, Gibson repeated that no one was throwing intentionally at anyone's head.

"I'll re-state this again,' he said. "Anybody that thinks anybody would try to hit anybody in the head, it's an illogical assumption. I don't even say that there's one person in the major leagues that could or would actually do that. I mean, people pitch inside. They're going to today, they're going to tomorrow, they're going to the day after that. That's part of the game.'

The Dodgers (42-45), after a slow start, have climbed back into contention, in what so far has been a weak division, although the Diamondbacks have remained in first for some time and play 10 straight at home before the All-Star break.

Arizona (47-41) swept three games from the Rockies this weekend while the Dodgers took two of three from San Francisco. That left the Dodgers alone in second place, 4 1/2 games behind the Diamondbacks.

Los Angeles has bolstered its rotation with the addition of Ricky Nolasco.

"They're a different team than we played the last time,' Gibson said. "They're getting more of their guys healthy and they're very formidable. They continue to acquire guys to make themselves better. We just have to play good baseball and try and execute to beat them. If you get distracted by the sideshow, I think you inhibit your chances to do that.'

Gibson will give the ball to Randall Delgado (1-2, 3.67), who gave up two runs in seven innings of a 5-3 win over the New York Mets on Wednesday. The right-hander allowed three runs in five innings in his lone start against the Dodgers in 2011.

Greinke has won his last three starts but wasn't particularly sharp Wednesday in Colorado, yielding five runs and a career high-tying seven walks in five innings of a 10-8 victory.

The right-hander has gone 0-3 with a 6.82 ERA in six career starts against the Diamondbacks, the only team he's faced more than two times and hasn't beaten.


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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Dodgers at Diamondbacks
Mon, Jul 8 - 9:40PM EDT

GAME 2
Dodgers at Diamondbacks
Tue, Jul 9 - 9:40PM EDT

GAME 3
Dodgers at Diamondbacks
Wed, Jul 10 - 9:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Red Sox (54-36) at Mariners (39-49)
Game: 1
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: July 08, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


After the Seattle Mariners' successful road trip, Felix Hernandez will try to help his club start posting better results at home.

He'll be opposed by Jon Lester, who will attempt to end the Boston Red Sox's recent road woes by adding to his dominance over the Mariners on Monday night.

Seattle (39-49) went 4-2 in visits to Texas and Cincinnati, completing the trek with a 3-1 victory over the Reds on Sunday. The Mariners never trailed after Nick Franklin's second home run in three-game series in the first inning.

"It's a real good trip for us," manager Eric Wedge told the team's official website. "I think we would have liked to have won one more, but you don't get greedy this time of year. You work hard to win series. Our guys fought hard and played pretty good baseball."

Seattle hasn't performed as well lately at home, dropping six of nine, but having its ace on the mound could help. Hernandez (8-4, 2.69 ERA) has won his last three decisions, though he hasn't received one in his past three outings.

He's given up two runs in seven innings each of his last two starts while totaling 18 strikeouts, but received two runs of support in both contests. He's coming off a 4-2 win over the Rangers on Wednesday.

Hernandez was superb in his most recent matchup with the Red Sox on June 28, 2012, tossing a five-hitter and matching a career high with 13 strikeouts in a 1-0 home victory.

Headed to his fourth All-Star game, the right-hander will try to outpitch Lester (8-4, 4.41), who's been dominant in his last three starts against the Mariners.

The left-hander has won all three of those games with a 1.96 ERA, the most recent Sept. 4 when he have up three runs in six innings of a 4-3 victory at Seattle.

Lester is coming off a strong outing that snapped an eight-start stretch of shaky performances. He allowed one run in seven innings of a 2-1 win over San Diego, though he didn't get the decision.

Lester had posted a 6.99 ERA in his previous eight games, though he's 2-0 in his past three outings.

He'll try to help the Red Sox to a rare win on the road, as they've dropped eight of 11 there.

Boston (54-36) earned its ninth victory in 10 games Friday against the Los Angeles Angels but dropped the final two contests of the set, including a 3-0 loss Sunday. The Red Sox blew a four-run lead in the ninth inning Saturday and lost in 11.

"I still like this team. Tonight, we didn't create a whole lot for ourselves, but this is a team that continues to battle," manager John Farrell told the team's website after the series finale. "There's a lot of good at_bats. We're going to put a lot of people on base. Tonight just wasn't one of them."

AL East-leading Boston will be trying to avoid its first three-game skid since May 11-14.

Seattle's Raul Ibanez, batting .360 during a 12-game hit streak, has two singles and five strikeouts in his past nine at_bats against Lester. Kyle Seager, hitting .500 in his last seven games, is 1 for 7 all-time versus Lester and is a career .205 hitter against the Red Sox.


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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Red Sox at Mariners
Mon, Jul 8 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Red Sox at Mariners
Tue, Jul 9 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Red Sox at Mariners
Wed, Jul 10 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Red Sox at Mariners
Thu, Jul 11 - 3:40PM EDT